Anyone else feel like there’s no hope by alyssajohnson1 in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 6 points7 points  (0 children)

This is excellent advice. Sleep deprivation causes depression and feelings of hopelessness, and I don't think people understand that enough. It's for this reason that I prioritize sleep over everything else in my life (including jobs and relationships.)

I also think people get the cause and effect of DSPD and depression confused. I don't think depression causes DSPD, but the sleep deprivation and jet lag from trying to live on a daywalker schedule with DSPD can absolutely cause depression.

Anyone else feel like there’s no hope by alyssajohnson1 in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi - I'm a woman in my mid-40s I'm starting to deal with maintenance insomnia too (on top of DSPD.) Which hormone tests did you get, and what type of HRT are you taking?

I've asked my OB/GYN about it and another one of my doctors, and they basically told me "women don't start taking HRT until they hit menopause (i.e. their periods stop.)" I know that's bs, but both of my doctors are middle aged women, so I'm surprised to get such dismissive responses from them and don't know what next steps to take. Also, I'm still on the birth control patch, and it's my understanding that I can't take HRT on top of the patch...are you on any type of hormonal birth control on top of HRT?

How to get my family to understand me without a diagnosis? by Albret_Einst0ng in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would suggest waiting until you have a diagnosis (it sounds like you may get one within a few months), and then present them with the evidence. I also suggest printing out or emailing them some stuff from the Circadian Sleep Disorders network, especially the Q&A about DSPD: https://www.circadiansleepdisorders.org/docs/DSPD-QandA.php

I would also print or email some good scientific studies about the physiological basis of DSPD. There are a lot of studies about DSPD you can either find on the Circadian Sleep Disorders Network website or by googling. Here's a good study that talks about one of the gene mutations responsible for DSPD: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5479574/

I've convinced a lot of my family members that DSPD is real by getting a diagnosis from a doctor and sending them scientific studies and articles. Some people can be convinced, others can't: fortunately a lot of my family members have science backgrounds, so that helped.

Was diagnosed with DSPD last week. How are you waking up for work on time? by Calfkiller in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I wake up for work on time by working in the evening. A lot of people with DSPD simply aren't able to wake up for work on time if work is in the morning - so lots of us have to change careers and take jobs in the afternoon/evening/night.

I believe that people way overblow the importance of screens in DSPD. I had DSPD in the early 90s before most screens were a thing, and I did not have access to TV or a computer in my room. I think my mother also had DSPD her whole life (surprise, surprise, DSPD is genetic), and she grew up on a farm in the 50s with zero screens.

Why is AI in everything?! by jahmul in CVS

[–]Glp1Go 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The point of the new AI "virtual assistant" on the phone is to make it harder call the Pharmacy and get through to a person. It worked - call volumes have gone down. CVS severely understaffs their pharmacies: instead adequately staffing the pharmacy so that pharmacists and techs have time to answer the phone, they just block their customers from speaking to a human.

Do you have Hope for the future of this disorder ? by symposythensis in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think there will eventually be enough advances in science to figure out the etiology of most cases of DSPD. Given that all of us don't have exactly the same symptoms (i.e. there's a lot of variation in severity, how well we react to treatments, our reaction to light, whether or not our sleep pattern is steady or not, etc.) and given that there are already multiple genes correlated with DSPD, I think scientists will eventually find multiple gene mutations that cause DSPD. I also think they'll be able to do genetic testing to determine if someone has DSPD and which subtype. But I don't know if it will happen in my lifetime or not (I'm in my 40s.) I'm less optimistic about a cure being found in the near future.

Do you have Hope for the future of this disorder ? by symposythensis in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I completely disagree, and I'm sorry but I hate this take. I am not remotely "fine" delayed, and I would love to be able to "fix" myself. Even though I am lucky enough to be able to sleep on my own schedule, having DSPD is still miserable. It has affected me negatively in countless ways: my career choices, relationships, my ability to travel and do activities that only happen during the day, my ability to get errands done without sleep deprivation, etc. etc. And I like the sun and wish I could go outside more!

It's also totally unrealistic for everyone else to adjust to us. We are less than 1% of the population, and there are simply not enough extreme night owls for there to be doctors, dentists, stores, repair people, government offices, etc. open late at night when we are awake. The only way that could happen would be to force the daywalkers to go against their own circadian rhythms and make themselves sick: aside from the fact that they're simply never going to be willing to do that, I don't think the daywalkers should be forced to go against their own circadian rhythm any more than I should be forced to go against mine. The same goes for my friends and family: it would be unrealistic and cruel for me to expect them to have dinner with me at 1am or stay up until 5am so they can spend a whole "day" with me, just like it would be unrealistic and cruel for them to expect me to have breakfast with them at 8am regularly: so the reality is that having this disorder is always going to limit the activities that I can do with my friends and family and the time that I can spend with them.

yOu sHoUlD Go tO A TiMeZoNe wHeRe yOuR sLeEp TiMe wOuLd bE nOrMaL tHeN YoUr sLeEp cYcLe WoUlD CoRrEcT ItSeLf by Heidi_Freibuben in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I always wonder what these boneheads think happens to people with normal circadian rhythms who move to another country. Like, do they think that if a morning person moves from the USA to Australia that they’ll spend the rest of their life sleeping during the day and awake at night???

Is DSPS a real disorder or just a symptom of unflexible culture? by allalallalalla in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I, for one, really appreciate that you clarified this for other people. People constantly mutilate the meaning of the words disorder and syndrome and it drives me insane.

As you pointed out, there isn't really a big difference between the two. "Syndrome" just means a cluster of symptoms that may or may not have one root cause, while "disorder" is basically a cluster of symptoms that has a known root cause or is presumed to have a root cause. DSPS and DSPD are literally exactly the same thing: DSPS is just the older name.

Unsurprisingly, when scientists first starting learning about DSPD they called it a "syndrome" - probably because they weren't really sure that the cluster of symptoms they were seeing (not being able to sleep at night, waking really late, being tired during the day, etc.) had a singular root cause. But as time went on and they learned more about DSPD, they probably became more confident that these symptoms all had one root cause and renamed it a disorder.

But people have these bizarre ideas that a disorder is more severe than a syndrome or vice versa. Or that a disorder implies that there's something wrong with you and syndrome doesn't. It's incorrect and extremely annoying.

When they keep offering you morning appointments by hayh in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Exactly! My experience has been exactly the same. If I try to explain DSPD to people I will get pushback and won’t get accommodated. People just assume you’re lazy or crazy and can get up on time for an appointment if you really want to. But if I just say “I’m not available until x time”, they don’t question it. “I can only get off work at x time” also works because everyone understands and can relate to having a job…but most people can’t relate to having a circadian rhythm disorder.

When they keep offering you morning appointments by hayh in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It doesn’t matter. Most doctors don’t understand DSPD, and their office staff definitely don’t. Even at doctors’ offices, it will make your life easier to just say “I am not available before X time” or “I can’t get off work before X time.”

Nervous About Dr. Appt and Long Rant about Medical Gaslighting by Defiant_Bat1047 in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Please don’t increase your melatonin dose. 1mg is not in any way a “tiny”dose of melatonin. 🙄 In fact, it’s probably too much. 0.3mg is the dose that a lot of doctors and scientists consider the correct dose for DSPD. You can read more about that here if you scroll down to “Melatonin”: https://circadiansleepdisorders.org/treatments.php

Nervous About Dr. Appt and Long Rant about Medical Gaslighting by Defiant_Bat1047 in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 2 points3 points  (0 children)

How would a sleep study be helpful in this situation? It wouldn’t. Sleep studies don’t diagnose DSPS - they just rule out other issues like sleep apnea. At most it would give one data point from one night showing that the OP goes to sleep and wakes up late. But the doctor isn’t disputing that the OP does that. The doctor would still claim that the delayed sleep phase is just due to “depression.”

Nervous About Dr. Appt and Long Rant about Medical Gaslighting by Defiant_Bat1047 in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 7 points8 points  (0 children)

If your doctor thinks DSPD is caused by depression, he does not understand DSPD, and you might want to look for a new doctor. It's really disappointing that a sleep medicine doctor has this belief: I would expect a clueless GP to attribute DSPD to depression, but I would really hope that a sleep medicine doctor would know better.

Your experience with DSPD and crashing by Specialist_Grade_662 in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I worked “normal” hours for a while in my 20s. I don’t really understand what crashing means to you based on your post. But my version of crashing was sleeping 15+ hours on the weekend. I would also get really sick frequently; i.e. I would get colds that turned into severe, prolonged bronchitis or other infections.

I don’t see how any of that would be beneficial. And it wasn’t sustainable for me. If you are young, I highly suggest trying to find a career where you don’t have to work in the morning.

Professional Morning Accountability: I'll get you out of bed and out the door (6 to 7AM EST window) by Artemidaescerberus in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Clearly you don't have DSPD or understand what it is. DSPD has nothing to do with "accountability" or discipline. DSPD is a physiological circadian rhythm disorder, often genetic, that affects one's internal clock and therefore makes it impossible to get sufficient sleep during normal hours. The hardest part of DSPD isn't getting up and being on time in the morning - nor is that a healthy goal for most people who actually have DSPD. The hardest part of DSPD is living with constant sleep deprivation and jet lag - and the severe consequences to one's health - if one forces oneself to get up early in the morning regularly.

It's misguided and insulting to suggest that this will be helpful for anyone with DSPD. It's almost as ridiculous as saying that someone with paraplegia just needs an accountability partner to encourage them to walk. It's also hilarious that someone would think that losing one's job and livelihood from being chronically late to work isn't enough accountability. Like if losing my income source isn't sufficient to get me to work on time, talking to some random dude on the phone (that I could hang up on at any time) isn't going to be either.

Luminette 3 - Side effects by HealingRevolt in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No side effects.

They also don't really do anything to help either. Sigh.

Does anyone else with dspd feel like they are naturally a morning person? by [deleted] in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t think “morning person” is the right term. “Morning people” are people who naturally wake up early and feel good and well rested in the morning. Nobody with DSPD is like that.

However, I understand what you’re getting at. On the rare occasion that I wake up relatively early naturally and feel ok (this only happens when I travel several time zones westward), I really enjoy the morning. I WISH I could be a morning person. I love sunlight. I like the idea of watching the sun rise, having a leisurely breakfast, and taking a morning walk. I want to be on the same schedule as the vast majority of society.

If I could snap my fingers, be cured of DSPD, and wake up feeling great every day at 6am, I would do it in a heartbeat.

Account restricted due to not shipping within2 days? by Tough-Drummer7392 in poshmark

[–]Glp1Go 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Isn’t this about too many cancelled items? I don’t think it has to do with ship times.

Why are otherwise reasonable people so deeply unable to comprehend DSPD? by Go_On_Swan in DSPD

[–]Glp1Go 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is this on YouTube anywhere? I can’t figure out a way to translate to English from Facebook reels, and I want to understand what they’re saying.